Shade for an arched window

Abstract

An assembly is provided to shade an arched window. The assembly includes a shade portion preferably in the form of a pleated shade extending between a first end and a second end. The ends of the shade are positioned so that the shade portion takes on a fanned configuration of semi-circular form similar to that of the arched window. A retainer is provided as a support to hold the shade in a vertical orientation adjacent the window. The retainer includes a guide in the form of at least one panel extending up from a horizontal base resting upon a sill below the window. The panel buttresses the shade to keep the shade in the vertical orientation shading the arched window.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 - An apparatus for occluding at least a portion of light passing through a window, comprising in combination: 
 a shade having a first end adapted to be spaced a variable distance from a second end and an inside edge and an outside edge defining sides of said shade from said first end to said second end; and    a support having a horizontal base and at least one guide extending up from said base and adapted to hold said shade when said shade is deployed within a vertical plane and in a fanned configuration with said first end and said second end oriented horizontally and substantially co-planar and at least partially adjacent said base with said inside edge of said shade adjacent said support.    
     
     
         2 - The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said shade includes a continuous structure from said first end to said second end including linear pleats extending from said inside edge to said outside edge with substantially planar surfaces between adjacent said linear pleats.  
     
     
         3 - The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said shade is formed at least partially of a textile fabric.  
     
     
         4 - The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said shade is formed at least partially from a plastic material.  
     
     
         5 - The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said shade includes separate slats of rigid material extending from said inside edge to said outside edge.  
     
     
         6 - The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said support includes at least two guides oriented parallel to each other with a slot therebetween.  
     
     
         7 - The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said support is in the form of a retainer with said at least two guides configured as front and rear panels of rigid material extending vertically up from said horizontal base.  
     
     
         8 - The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said front panel and said rear panel each include curved rims defining uppermost portions of each of said panels.  
     
     
         9 - The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein at least one of said front and rear panels is formed of an at least partially transparent material.  
     
     
         10 - The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein a hump is located upon said base and between said front panel and said rear panel at a midpoint between ends of said base extending between said front panel and said rear panel, said hump having a surface raised above said base.  
     
     
         11 - The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said hump includes a top surface having a circular cross-section.  
     
     
         12 - The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said top surface of said hump has a curving cross-section exhibiting a curve which corresponds with a curve exhibited by the window to be shaded by said apparatus.  
     
     
         13 - The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said shade includes a continuous structure from said first end to said second end including linear pleats extending from said inside edge to said outside edge with substantially planar surfaces between adjacent said linear pleats.  
     
     
         14 - The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said shade is formed at least partially of a textile fabric.  
     
     
         15 - The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said shade is formed at least partially from a plastic material.  
     
     
         16 - The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said shade includes separate slats of rigid material extending from said inside edge to said outside edge.  
     
     
         17 - The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a hump is located upon said base at a midpoint between ends of said base, said hump having a surface raised above said base.  
     
     
         18 - The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said hump includes a top surface having a circular cross-section.  
     
     
         19 - The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said top surface of said hump has a curving cross-section exhibiting a curve which corresponds with a curve exhibited by the window to be shaded by said apparatus.  
     
     
         20 - The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said support is in the form of a retainer having said at least one guide in the form of a front panel, said front panel extending vertically up from an edge of said base most distant from the window, said base having a width at least as great as a width of said shade, such that said shade can be located between said front panel and said window.  
     
     
         21 - The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said front panel includes a curved rim defining an uppermost portion of said front panel.  
     
     
         22 - The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said retainer includes a rear panel extending vertically up from an edge of said base opposite said front panel with said rear panel parallel with said front panel and spaced from said front panel by a distance at least as great as a thickness of said shade.  
     
     
         23 - The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said front panel is formed of at least partially transparent material.  
     
     
         24 - The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said shade includes a continuous structure from said first end to said second end including linear pleats extending from said inside edge to said outside edge with substantially planar surfaces between adjacent said linear pleats.  
     
     
         25 - The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein said shade is formed at least partially of a textile fabric.  
     
     
         26 - The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein said shade is formed at least partially from a plastic material.  
     
     
         27 - The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said shade includes separate slats of rigid material extending from said inside edge to said outside edge.  
     
     
         28 - An arched window shade apparatus, comprising in combination: 
 a shade having a first end adapted to be spaced a variable distance from a second end; and    a support having at least one guide adapted to hold said shade adjacent at least a portion of said first end and said second end while said shade is deployed within a plane and in a fanned configuration.    
     
     
         29 - The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said shade includes a continuous structure from said first end to said second end including linear pleats extending from said inside edge to said outside edge with substantially planar surfaces between adjacent said linear pleats.  
     
     
         30 - The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said support includes at least two guides oriented parallel to each other with a slot therebetween.  
     
     
         31 - The apparatus of  claim 30  wherein said support is in the form of a retainer with said at least two guides configured as front and rear panels of rigid material extending vertically up from a horizontal base.  
     
     
         32 - The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein a hump is located upon said base and between said front panel and said rear panel at a midpoint between ends of said base extending between said front panel and said rear panel, said hump having a surface raised above said base.  
     
     
         33 - The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said support is in the form of a retainer having said at least one guide in the form of a front panel, said front panel extending vertically up from an edge of a horizontal base most distant from the window, said base having a width at least as great as a width of said shade, such that said shade can be located between said front panel and said window.  
     
     
         34 - The apparatus of  claim 33  wherein said retainer includes a rear panel extending vertically up from an edge of said base opposite said front panel with said rear panel parallel with said front panel and spaced from said front panel by a distance at least as great as a thickness of said shade.  
     
     
         35 - The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said shade includes separate slats of rigid material extending from said inside edge to said outside edge.  
     
     
         36 - A shade assembly for placement adjacent a window, and particularly an arched window, the shade assembly comprising in combination: 
 a shade having a first end and second end, said shade including means for variably spacing said first end from said second end; and    means for holding said shade in a fanned configuration.    
     
     
         37 - The shade assembly of  claim 36  wherein said means for holding includes a support, said support having a base and at least one means for buttressing said shade by contacting said shade when said shade moves away from a position adjacent said window, said means for buttressing said shade extending up from said base.  
     
     
         38 - The shade assembly of  claim 37  wherein said means for buttressing said shade includes at least one substantially rigid panel extending up from said base.  
     
     
         39 - The shade assembly of  claim 38  wherein said means for holding said shade includes a retainer including said base extending horizontally and at least two panels including a front panel formed of rigid material extending vertically up from said base and a rear panel formed of rigid material extending up from said base, said rear panel parallel with said front panel, said rear panel spaced from said front panel by a distance at least as great as a thickness of said shade.  
     
     
         40 - The shade assembly of  claim 36  wherein said shade assembly includes a means for aligning said shade to exhibit a contour corresponding with a contour of the window adjacent said shade assembly.  
     
     
         41 - The shade assembly of  claim 40  wherein said means for aligning said shade includes a support, said support having a substantially horizontal base with a hump extending up from said base to a curved surface.  
     
     
         42 - The shade assembly of  claim 41  wherein said curved surface of said hump is circular in cross-section.  
     
     
         43 - The shade assembly of  claim 41  wherein said curved surface exhibits a curve with a cross-section which matches a contour of the window.  
     
     
         44 - The shade assembly of  claim 36  wherein said means for variably spacing said first end from said second end includes a plurality of pleats between substantially planar surfaces within said shade and said shade formed from sufficiently flexible material that an angle of planar surfaces adjacent each pleat can be changed with said pleats holding adjacent said planar surfaces to each other.  
     
     
         45 - A support for a shade deployed in a fanned configuration, the support comprising in combination: 
 a horizontal base; and    at least one guide extending up from said base and adapted to hold said shade deployed within a vertical plane and in a fanned configuration with ends of the shade oriented horizontally substantially co-planar and at least partially adjacent the base.    
     
     
         46 - The support of  claim 45  wherein said support includes at least two guides oriented parallel to each other with a slot therebetween.  
     
     
         47 - The support of  claim 46  wherein said support is in the form of a retainer with said at least two guides configured as front and rear panels of rigid material extending vertically up from said horizontal base.  
     
     
         48 - The support of  claim 47  wherein said front panel and said rear panel each include a curved rim defining an uppermost portion of each of said panels.  
     
     
         49 - The support of  claim 47  wherein at least one of said front and rear panels is formed of at least partially transparent material.  
     
     
         50 - The support of  claim 47  wherein a hump is located upon said base and between said front panel and said rear panel at a midpoint between ends of said base extending between said front panel and said rear panel, said hump having a surface raised above said base.  
     
     
         51 - The support of  claim 50  wherein said hump includes a top surface having a circular cross-section.  
     
     
         52 - The support of  claim 50  wherein said top surface of said hump has a curving cross-section exhibiting a curve which corresponds with a curve exhibited by the window to be shaded by said apparatus.  
     
     
         53 - The support of  claim 45  wherein a hump is located upon said base and between said front panel and said rear panel at a midpoint between ends of said base extending between said front panel and said rear panel, said hump having a surface raised above said base.  
     
     
         54 - The support of  claim 53  wherein said hump includes a top surface having a circular cross-section.  
     
     
         55 - The support of  claim 53  wherein said top surface of said hump has a curving cross-section exhibiting a curve which corresponds with a curve exhibited by the window to be shaded by said apparatus.  
     
     
         56 - The support of  claim 45  wherein said support is in the form of a retainer having said at least one guide in the form of a front panel, said front panel extending vertically up from an edge of said base most distant from the window, said base having a width at least as great as a width of the shade, such that the shade can be located between said front panel and said window.  
     
     
         57 - The support of  claim 56  wherein said front panel and said rear panel each include a curved rim defining an uppermost portion of each of said panels.  
     
     
         58 - The support of  claim 56  wherein said retainer includes a rear panel extending vertically up from an edge of said base opposite said front panel with said rear panel parallel with said front panel and spaced from said front panel by a distance at least as great as a thickness of said shade.  
     
     
         59 - The support of  claim 56  wherein at least one of said front and rear panels is formed of an at least partially transparent material.  
     
     
         60 - A method for at least partially occluding light passing through an arched window having a horizontal sill below the window, including the steps of: 
 providing a shade having a first end adapted to be spaced a variable distance from a second end and an inside edge and an outside edge defining sides of the shade from the first end to the second end;    providing a support having a horizontal base and at least one guide extending up from the base;    locating the support with the base adjacent the sill and with the guide parallel to the window and spaced from the window at least as far as a thickness of the shade;    orienting the shade in a fanned configuration with the first end and the second end substantially co-planar; and    placing the shade between the guide and the window with the ends of the shade at least partially adjacent the base of the support.    
     
     
         61 - The method of  claim 60  including the further step of cutting the shade to have a length from the inside edge to the outside edge that is at least as small as a radius of the arched window.  
     
     
         62 - The method of  claim 60  including the further step of providing a hump extending up from the base, the hump having a curved surface with a substantially circular cross-section.  
     
     
         63 - The method of  claim 62  including the further step of providing at least one of the ends of the shade with a rule having gradations thereon with indicia adjacent at least some of the gradations, the gradations and indicia corresponding with a radius of the arched window which will be covered when the shade is cut at that gradation.  
     
     
         64 - The method of  claim 60  including the further step of fastening the first end and the second end to the base.  
     
     
         65 - The method of  claim 64  including the further step of providing an adhesive on the first end and the second end of the shade, the adhesive sufficiently strong to hold the first end and the second end of the shade to the base of the support.  
     
     
         66 - The method of  claim 65  including the further step of fastening the base to the sill with the at least one guide of the support oriented substantially parallel with the window.